Surface enhancement system for building blocks

Abstract

A system for enhancing the surfaces of building blocks by cutting or grinding away material from the surface to be enhanced. A building block is placed on a conveyer belt which moves the block passed three rotating cutting apparatus each of which is independently powered. Each of the cutting apparatus is independently adjustable in the vertical direction and all three cutting apparatus may be adjusted simultaneously. The system may also be pivoted to allow an enhanced beveled surface to be formed on the building blocks. Also included is a water system for cooling the cutting apparatus and the building block, and an oil system for lubricating the cutting apparatus.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A surface enhancing system comprising in combination: 
       a base frame;  
       a conveyor assembly mounted to said base frame to receive, support and move an object having a surface to be enhanced;  
       a plurality of adjustable mounting platforms;  
       a plurality of cutting apparatus, each of said cutting apparatus mounted to a corresponding one of said plurality of mounting platforms wherein each cutting apparatus is individually adjustable relative to said conveyor assembly;  
       an adjustable stage frame connected to each of said plurality of platforms for simultaneously adjusting all of the plurality of cutting apparatus; and  
       a head frame for supporting said stage frame, said plurality of platforms and said plurality of cutting apparatus, said head frame being pivotally mounted to said base frame for positioning said plurality of cutting apparatus to cut bevel surfaces on said object moving on said conveyor.  
     
     
       2. A system as claimed in claim  1  including: 
       means for forming a pivot connected to said base frame;  
       means for forming a pivot connected to said head frame;  
       means connected to each of said pivot forming means for altering the distance between the two pivot forming means.  
     
     
       3. A system as claimed in claim  2  wherein: 
       said distance altering means is a worm and screw device.  
     
     
       4. A system as claimed in claim  1  wherein: 
       each cutting apparatus includes a rotatable shaft, means for mounting said shaft, a disc removably connected to said shaft, a ring removably mounted to said disc and a plurality of cutting segments removably mounted to said ring.  
     
     
       5. A system as claimed in claim  4  including: 
       a water delivery system comprising  
       a conduit for connecting a water source to each of said rotatable shafts, each of said rotatable shafts having a longitudinally disposed water passageway; and  
       a plurality of bolts, each bolt for attaching a disc to a rotatable shaft, each of said bolts having a stem with a longitudinally disposed water passageway and a head with a plurality of generally radially directed water passageways, wherein said shaft passageways, said stem passageways, and said head passageways combining to pass water from said water source to the cutting segments and the object being enhanced.  
     
     
       6. A system as claimed in claim  5  wherein: 
       said means for mounting said shaft includes a housing, a bearing mounted to said housing, said bearing for supporting said rotatable shaft, and a chamber within said housing in communication with said bearing; and including  
       an oil inlet passageway in each of said housings in communication with a respective chamber;  
       an oil outlet passageway in each of said housings in communication with a respective chamber;  
       an oil reservoir operatively connected to all of said oil inlet and said oil outlet passageways;  
       a first conduit connected to said oil reservoir and said oil inlet passageways; and  
       a second conduit connected to said oil reservoir and said oil outlet passageways.  
     
     
       7. A system is claimed in claim  6  including: 
       a plurality of bolts, each of said bolts connecting a disc to a shaft and wherein:  
       said ring is mounted to said disc by threaded fasteners;  
       said cutting segments are mounted to said ring by threaded fasteners;  
       said cutting segments are each comprised of a layer of steel and a layer of diamond impregnated material;  
       said diamond impregnated material is welded to said layer of steel;  
       said cutting segments are mounted in recesses in said ring; and  
       the height of said layer of steel is greater than the depth of said recesses.  
     
     
       8. A system as claimed in claim  1  wherein: 
       said head frame is rotatable about an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of said conveyor assembly.  
     
     
       9. A system as claimed in claim  1  wherein: 
       each of said plurality of cutting apparatus includes cutting means rotatable in one or more parallel planes, said planes being movable by said head frame between a position parallel to said conveyor assembly and a position at an angle to said conveyor assembly.  
     
     
       10. A system as claimed in claim  1  including: 
       a plurality of threaded nuts connected to said stage frame;  
       a plurality of rotatable threaded shafts, each shaft having an upper portion mounted to said head frame and a lower portion engaging one of said plurality of threaded nuts;  
       a plurality of drive elements, each drive element connected to an upper end of a respective shaft;  
       a motion transmitting means operatively engaged to all of said drive elements for rotating each of said elements an equal distance simultaneously; and  
       means operatively engaged to said motion transmitting means for causing said motion transmitting means to move.  
     
     
       11. A system as claimed in claim  10  wherein: 
       said drive elements are sprockets; and  
       said motion transmitting means is a chain.  
     
     
       12. A system as claimed in claim  1  wherein: 
       each of said mounting platforms comprises a plate and each plate is independently movable relative to said stage frame.  
     
     
       13. A system as claimed in claim  12  wherein: 
       said means for moving said mounting platforms includes a plurality of threaded nuts connected to said stage frame, a plurality of threaded shafts connected to said mounting platforms and said stage frame, and a plurality of resilient mounting members connected to each of said mounting platforms.  
     
     
       14. A system as claimed in claim  13  wherein: 
       each of said mounting platforms is operatively connected to four nuts, four threaded shafts and four resilient mounting members.  
     
     
       15. A system as claimed in claim  1  wherein: 
       said conveyer assembly includes two chains disposed in parallel and a plurality of slats, each slat straddling said two chains;  
       said base frame includes a plurality of legs and two rails disposed in generally parallel horizontal alignment, said rails for supporting said chains of said conveyer assembly; and  
       said base frame also including additional legs for supporting said head frame in a pivotal relationship relative to said base frame.  
     
     
       16. A system as claimed in claim  1  wherein: 
       each cutting apparatus includes a rotatable shaft, means for mounting such shaft, a disc removably connected to said shaft, a ring removably mounted to said disc and a plurality of cutting segments removably mounted to said ring.  
     
     
       17. A system as claimed in claim  16  wherein: 
       said cutting apparatus includes:  
       a housing for receiving said rotatable shaft;  
       bearings for mounting said shaft to said housing; and  
       a bolt connecting said disc to said shaft.  
     
     
       18. A system as claimed in claim  17  wherein: 
       said ring is mounted to said disc by threaded fasteners; and  
       said cutting segments are mounted to said ring by threaded fasteners.  
     
     
       19. A system as claimed in claim  18  wherein: 
       said cutting segments are each comprised of a layer of steel and a layer of diamond impregnated material; and  
       said diamond impregnated material is welded to said layer of steel.  
     
     
       20. A system as claimed in claim  19  wherein: 
       said cutting segments are mounted in recesses in said rings; and  
       the height of said layer of steel is greater than the depth of said recesses.  
     
     
       21. A system as claimed in claim  16  wherein: 
       each of said cutting apparatus also includes a motor mounted to said head frame; and  
       means for transmitting rotational motion from said motor to said rotatable shaft.  
     
     
       22. A system as claimed in claim  5  wherein: 
       said head passageways are disposed at a downward angle in a range between about 12 and 20 degrees from a horizontal reference plane.  
     
     
       23. A system as claimed in claim  22  wherein: 
       each of said bolt heads has six faces and each face has a terminal opening for a respective radial water passageway.  
     
     
       24. A system as claimed in claim  16  wherein: 
       said means for mounting said shaft includes a housing, a bearing mounted to said housing, said bearing for supporting said rotatable shaft, and a chamber within said housing in communication with said bearing; and including:  
       an oil inlet passageway in said housing in communication with said chamber;  
       an oil outlet passageway in said housing in communication with said chamber;  
       an oil reservoir operatively connected to said oil inlet and said oil outlet passageways;  
       a first conduit connected to said oil reservoir and to said oil inlet passageway; and  
       a second conduit connected to said oil reservoir and to said oil outlet passageway.  
     
     
       25. A system as claimed in claim  24  including: 
       a heat exchanger operatively connected to said oil reservoir; and  
       a water delivery system for transferring water from a water source to said heat exchanger and from said heat exchanger to said cutting segments.